SKF, Gothenburg, Sweden, a global supplier of bearings, seals, mechatronics, services, and lubrication systems as well as maintenance services, engineering consultancy, and training, this past week signed a framework agreement with the State Forestry Administration in China to plant new forests in remote areas of the country. The project is expected to run for five years.
SKF has selected the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), one of the leading research institutes in forestry, as a technical partner. The signing was held in connection with the kick-off of the "Sweden China Innovation Week" in Beijing that is organized to mark the 60-year anniversary of diplomatic relations between Sweden and China.
China is planning to achieve forest coverage of more than 26% by 2050. By investing in these forests, SKF aims to bring environmental as well as social contribution to the local communities. "We recognize the critical role forests serve in the ecosystem and this project supports our sustainability work and our BeyondZero approach. We are committed to reduce the negative environmental impacts from our operations and offer new technologies, products, and services with enhanced environmental added value to our customers," says Tom Johnstone, SKF president and CEO.
SKF has a robust process aimed to constantly improve the energy use efficiency both in the energy demand for manufacturing operations as well as its facilities. For SKF this has resulted in a reduction in carbon emissions of more than 150,000 metric tons, nearly 27% absolute reduction over the past four years.
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